Over the last few days there's been a marked increase in the number of cluster bomb remains being filmed in Syria, and until yeterday most were filmed around Maarrat al-Numan, along the main highway that connects central Syria (Hama, Homs, then Damascus and Daraa) to northern Syria (Idlib, Aleppo), which has recently come under opposition control.

The concentration of reports from that area suggested at first that the use of cluster bombs was related to attempts to regain an important supply route to Aleppo.

The following video shows four examples of cluster bombs used in the area:

However, in the last 48 hours multiple videos have been posted online showing cluster bomb remains in locations across Syria.

In all of the examples they appear to show RBK-250 cluster bombs with AO-1 SCH bomblets.

Videos purportedly shot inside the air defense base and posted online stated that the extremist group, Jabhat al-Nusra, participated in the overnight battle near the village of al-Taaneh, five kilometers (three miles) east of the country's largest city, Aleppo. The videos show dozens of fighters inside the base near a radar tower, along with rows of large missiles, some on the backs of trucks.

A report by a correspondent with the Arabic satellite network Al-Jazeera who visited the base Friday said Jabhat al-Nusra took the lead in the attack, killing three guards and taking others prisoner before seizing the base. The report showed a number of missiles and charred buildings, as well as fighters wearing black masks.

New evidence has emerged that the Syrian air force has used cluster munitions in recent days, Human Rights Watch said today. Many of the strikes were near the main highway that runs through Ma`arat al-Nu`man, the site of a major confrontation between government and rebel forces this week.

Videos posted online by Syrian activists on October 9-12 showed cluster munition remnants reportedly in or near the towns of Tamane`a, Taftanaz, al-Tah, and Ma`arat al-Nu`man, in the Northern governorate of Idlib, Eastern Bouwayda and al-Salloumiyyeh in Homs governorate, Tel Rifaat in Aleppo governorate, the countryside in Lattakia governorate, and Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus.

The cluster bomb canisters and submunitions shown in the videos all show damage and wear patterns produced by being mounted on and dropped from an aircraft.

Residents from Taftanaz and Tamane`a confirmed in interviews with Human Rights Watch that helicopters dropped cluster munitions on or near their towns on October 9.

Human Rights Watch does not yet have any information on casualties caused by the recent cluster munition strikes.

Syrian government forces have dropped cluster bombs over civilian areas

A resident of Tamane`a told Human Rights Watch that around noon on October 9, a low-flying helicopter “released a [bomb] that split in half and released smaller [bomblets]” and “the [bomb] split open between two schools, Intermediate and Elementary, very close to each other.

The schools are called Zeid Abi Elharissa and Mostapha el Bakri respectively … in Ibn Batouta neighborhood.” The resident said that, “The [bomblets] that exploded were the ones that hit the ground on the tip; we collected the ones that didn’t explode, their tip didn’t touch the ground.”

A video posted online on October 10 clearly shows remnants of an RBK-250 cluster bomb and AO-1SCh bombletsat al-Tah, another location near Tamane’a.

These unexploded submunitions are armed and can explode at the slightest touch or movement, yet civilians can be seen in some of the videos carrying the submunitions around, banging them on objects, and throwing them on the ground.

A video filmed at Tamane`a shows several men handling unexploded AO-1SCh bomblets, an act that is extremely hazardous.

A Tamane`a resident told Human Rights Watch that people have been taking the bomblets and remnants as “souvenirs.”

In a separate video from August, a young child is filmed holding an unexploded submunition.

“The cluster munition strikes and unexploded ordnance they leave behind pose a huge danger to civilian populations, who often seem unaware how easily these submunitions could still explode.” Goose said.

“There is an urgent need for the government to facilitate risk education and emergency clearance efforts.”

I personally think that they have a very well crafted plan in place ! The US-Israel joint exercise ties into this perfectly !

If they stage some sort of a false flag using chemical weapons while US soldiers are in Israel I think they will have the perfect excuse to unleash the dog (Turkey) on Syria while Israel and US attack Iran !

Obama is starting to lose ground in the polls and I think he'll do anything it takes to remain in power.

Anyway, whatever they'll do, I get the feeling it will be a very coordinated and very well synchronized attack !

I personally think that they have a very well crafted plan in place ! The US-Israel joint exercise ties into this perfectly !

If they stage some sort of a false flag using chemical weapons while US soldiers are in Israel I think they will have the perfect excuse to unleash the dog (Turkey) on Syria while Israel and US attack Iran !

Obama is starting to lose ground in the pools and I think he'll do anything it takes to remain in power.

Anyway, whatever they'll do, I get the feeling it will be a very coordinated and very well synchronized attack !

Doorbert - I'll ask you once again. And if you ignore it this time, then I'm certainly going to formulate an opinion of you that you are one-sided.

Why do you always bring information from anti-Assad sites or sources, and not from pro-Assad ones, as neutral folk should do?

I hope you reply to that.

Now, onto disputing the fact that Cluster Bombs are being used in civilian areas.

The population density in Aleppo is 12113 people /km2. One cluster bomb used at a single neighbourhood means thousands of deaths. So far, we haven't heard of casualties more than 30, 50 or the usual numbers, which renders the fact that Cluster Bombs are being used as theoretically and practically impossible and false.

Over the last few days there's been a marked increase in the number of cluster bomb remains being filmed in Syria, and until yeterday most were filmed around Maarrat al-Numan, along the main highway that connects central Syria (Hama, Homs, then Damascus and Daraa) to northern Syria (Idlib, Aleppo), which has recently come under opposition control.

The concentration of reports from that area suggested at first that the use of cluster bombs was related to attempts to regain an important supply route to Aleppo.

The following video shows four examples of cluster bombs used in the area:

However, in the last 48 hours multiple videos have been posted online showing cluster bomb remains in locations across Syria.

In all of the examples they appear to show RBK-250 cluster bombs with AO-1 SCH bomblets.

Doorbert - I'll ask you once again. And if you ignore it this time, then I'm certainly going to formulate an opinion of you that you are one-sided.

Why do you always bring information from anti-Assad sites or sources, and not from pro-Assad ones, as neutral folk should do?

I hope you reply to that.

Now, onto disputing the fact that Cluster Bombs are being used in civilian areas.

The population density in Aleppo is 12113 people /km2. One cluster bomb used at a single neighbourhood means thousands of deaths. So far, we haven't heard of casualties more than 30, 50 or the usual numbers, which renders the fact that Cluster Bombs are being used as theoretically and practically impossible and false.

Doorbert - I'll ask you once again. And if you ignore it this time, then I'm certainly going to formulate an opinion of you that you are one-sided.

Why do you always bring information from anti-Assad sites or sources, and not from pro-Assad ones, as neutral folk should do?

I hope you reply to that.

Now, onto disputing the fact that Cluster Bombs are being used in civilian areas.

The population density in Aleppo is 12113 people /km2. One cluster bomb used at a single neighbourhood means thousands of deaths. So far, we haven't heard of casualties more than 30, 50 or the usual numbers, which renders the fact that Cluster Bombs are being used as theoretically and practically impossible and false.